[Temporary vascular access: from peripheral to central, from temporary to permanent].

Temporary vascular access (TVA) is a basic requirement in clinical nephrology. TVA permits immediate and repeated hemodialysis for all type of ESRD patient. Going from peripheral to central and from temporary to permanent angioaccess are the two main trends observed in TVA in contemporary dialysis. Our experience over the last decade illustrates this TVA changes. On the one hand peripheral arterio-venous shunt has been forsaken in favour of percutaneous implanted central venous catheters. On the other hand, two types of central venous catheters have been used covering up our preferences: catheters for short term use (< 7 days) usually via femoral vein and catheters for long term use (7 days to months) mainly via the internal jugular vein. Due to traumatic and/or long term mechanical risks (venous stenosis and/or thrombosis), the subclavian way has been abandoned in our unit. Performances (blood flow rate 250-350 ml/min, recirculation rate 9-12%) obtained in about 1500 patients warranted dialysis efficiency. Traumatic and/or mechanic lesions were the most frequent complications observed with the femoral catheter, while infection remained the most important one associated with the long term use of jugular vein catheters. Therefore, it is clear that over the last decade temporary vascular access was becoming synonymous with percutaneous central venous catheter. Such an approach has greatly simplified the task of physicians while facilitating the management of large uremia treatment program.